Ruthie Faye Gulsby Owens

Cleveland, Tenn.

Ruthie Faye Gullsby Owens, 77, passed away Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015 in Cleveland, Tenn., surrounded by her family. She was a native and long time resident of Damascus, Alabama. A 1955 graduate of W.S.Neal High School , she was employed with the Escambia County School System. She was an active member of Damascus Baptist Church and the Eastern Star.

She is survived by her husband, William Lamar Owens of Cleveland, Tenn; son, William Larry Owens (Alesia) of Cleveland, Tenn; daughter Cindy Owens Fay (John) of Cumming, Ga.;  sister, Hedda Gulsby of Brewton, four grandchildren Nicole Owens Smith (Travis), Will Owens (Sabrina), Andrea Fay Stephens (Ryan), and Alison Kelley Fay; four great grandchildren, Emma Claire Smith, Gracelyn Harper Smith, Brille Reese Owens and Raylan Milling Stephens; and several cousins, nephews, nieces, and numerous dear friends.

She is preceded in death by her father, Henry Carlston Gulsby; mother, Jessie Mae Baggett Gulsby; brother, Lowell Gulsby; and sisters, Vivian Hoomes and Betty Gulsby.

Funeral services were held Monday, September, 21 at 12 noon at the Damascus Baptist Church of Brewton with the Rev. Thomas White and the Rev. Matthew Dobson officiating. Interment followed at Damascus Cemetery with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral home of Brewton directing.

Please make donations to St . Jude’s Children’s Hospital giftfunds.stjude.org/fayeowens or The National Alzheimer’s Association.Condolences may be sent and obituaries can be read at williamsmemorialchapel.com.

 

John Lee Johnson

East Brewton

John Lee Johnson, 84, of Brandenburg Street, East Brewton, passed away Tues., Sept. 15, 2015, in a local hospital after a brief illness. Funeral services were held Thurs., Sept. 17, at 2 p.m. at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Brewton with the Rev. Michael Farley officiating.

He was a native and long time resident of Damascus before moving to East Brewton. He was a member of the Damascus Assembly of God Church and attended Damascus School. He was a U.S. Army veteran and was a member of the Robert E. Lee Hunting Club.

He owned and operated John Lee Johnson Logging from 1958 until 2011.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Margie Dubose Johnson of East Brewton; sons, Donnie Johnson and Bobby (Kathy) Johnson, both of East Brewton; a brother, Therman (Fay) Johnson of East Brewton; sisters, Roselle Howell of Mobile, Dorothy Overstreet of Dothan and Joyce Cumbie of Brewton; grandson, Matthew Johnson; and great grandchildren, Riley Johnson and Allie Johnson.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Bibb Johnson

Condolences may be sent and obituaries can be read at williamsmemorialchapel.com.

 

Jack Whiddon Taylor Jr.

Brewton

Jack Whiddon Taylor  Jr., 58, of Glen Road, Brewton, Ala. passed away Fri., Sept. 18, 2015 in a Pensacola hospital after a brief illness.

Funeral services were held Tues., Sept. 22, at 2 p.m. at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Parker Johnson officiating. Interment followed in Union Cemetery, with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing.

He was a native and life long resident of Brewton. He was a member of the Brewton First Presbyterian Church, a 1974 graduate of T.R. Miller High School and Reid State Technical College where he earned an industrial electrician degree, and was employed with Vanity Fair in Monroeville, with 28 years of service. He was an avid Alabama fan.

He is survived by his father, Jack W. Taylor Sr. of Brewton; his wife, Angie Rolin-Taylor of Brewton; two sons, Jack Taylor III of Irvington, Ala. and Brandan Rolin Taylor of Brewton; a daughter, Patricia Taylor of Honolulu, Hawaii; a brother, Tom (Barbara) Taylor of Woodstock, Ga.; a sister, Susan Taylor (Per) Cedarbam of Livermore, Calif.; two grandchildren, David Max Rolin Taylor, Gabriel Rolin Taylor; and an adopted niece, Tonya Ashburn.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Emma Lou Agee Taylor.

Condolences may be sent and obituaries can be read at williamsmemorialchapel.com.

 

Frank Earl Jones 

Brewton

Frank Earl Jones, died suddenly at his home on Sept., 17, 2015. He was 87 years old.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 23, at Union Cemetery with the Rev. Anthony McCullough officiating and Craver’s Funeral Home directing.

He graduated from Auburn University, Dec. 16, 1950, witha a degree in forestry. He was an avid (and vocal) tennis player who also excelled in football while attending T.R. Miller High School in Brewton and Auburn University (Alabama Polytechnic Institute).

He married his college sweetheart, Joanna Deer on Dec. 23, 1950, and began work with Gulf States Paper Co. In 1952, he moved to Eutaw and moved to Demopolis in 1962. After retiring from Gulf States, he moved home to Brewton in 1977 to work with T.R. Miller Mill Co.

In 1989, he was inducted into the Alabama Foresters’ Hall of Fame. The honor scroll is located in the School of Forestry building on the campus of Auburn University.

He retired in 1994 as vice president and woodlands manager at T.R. Miller Mill Co/Cedar Creek. He is a former member of the Forester’s Licensing Board and a registered forester, Alabama license no. 66.

Survivors include three daughters, Anna Ashley Jones Slatton (Michael), Joanna Deer Jones Nichol (Ron) and Sarah Curtis “Sally” Jones Livingston (David); four grandchildren, Elizabeth Marlowe Wright, Caroline McKenzie Livingston, Edward Rippetoe “Rip” Livingston and Austin Frazier Nichol, and a great-grandson, Carson Daniel Wright.

Memorials may be made to the Brewton Library or the First United Methodist Church of Brewton.

Please share your memories and condolences with the family at craversfh.com.

 

Betty Catherine Long Watson 

Brewton

Betty Catherine Long Watson passed away peacefully on Sept. 16, 2015, at her residence after a brief illness.

Funeral arrangements were held on Sat., Sept. 19, at 1 p.m., at St. Mark Baptist Church, with Christian Memorial Funeral Home directing. Internment followed in Oak Grove Cemetery.

She was born on June 28, 1929, in Brewton to the late Noah and Jessie (Lewis) Long. She is preceded in death by her husband Robert Watson, Jr., ten siblings and a son-in-law.

She lived a Christ-centered life after accepting Jesus as her Lord and Savior at an early age. Her legacy of serving, joy, genuine love and forgiveness has touched generations.

Although she birthed only one child, she was a mother and mother-figure to numerous other children.

Her motherly love legacy didn’t stop there, as she went on to spiritually adopt numerous other children. She simply loved people, especially children.

She felt that showing genuine love would bring about change. She was affectionately called by most “Nana” or “Mama Betty.” Although we miss her dearly, the love and Jesus lessons she shared will comfort and remain with us.

She was faithful to God and her church. She remained a Sunday school teacher until her health prevented her from doing so until Aug. 17, 2015. Her heart and concern was always with others even at great sacrifice.

She leaves precious memories to her beloved children, Cathy (Glenn) Echols, Kelly (Watson) Mackey, Trini (LaShawnda) Watson and Monica Watson; a grandchild, Portia Lett; a sister, Annie Laura (Long) Hardy; five great grandchildren, Kendall Mackey, Konnor Mackey, Treylon Watson, Me’Khia Williams and Ziah Watson; and numerous other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church Sunday School Scholarship Fund, 1970 Pea Ridge Rd., Brewton, AL 36426.

The family acknowledges with grateful appreciation all acts of kindness rendered during these hours of sorrow.

 

Thomas Allen Starling

Brewton

 

Thomas Allen Starling passed away Wed., Sept. 9, 2015 at his residence after a brief illness.He was 58 years old.

He was a native and former resident of Starke, Florida before moving to Brewton. Mr. Starling was a member of the New Covenant Holiness Church in Century, Florida and a former long haul truck driver in the transportation industry.

He is survived by his wife, Karen Henry Starling of Brewton; two sons William Starling of Starke, Florida and John McCall of Brewton; four daughters Esther Nall and Mary Starling of Starke Florida, and Kathy and April McCall Stitcher of Brewton; two sisters Kathy Guthie and Marcia Scott of Lake Butler, Florida; 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Memorial services are scheduled for Sat., Sept. 26, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. at the Cobbtown Holiness Church in Jay, Florida. with Pastor Joe Eddie Macks officiating and Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing.

Condolences may be sent and obituaries can be read at williamsmemorialchapel.com

 

Linda Gail Varner Hall

Brewton

Linda Gail Varner Hall passed away Monday afternoon Sept. 21, 2015 in a Fairhope, Alabama hospital after an extended illness. She was 59.

She was a native of Evergreen, Alabama and a life long resident of Brewton. Mrs. Hall was a former Home Health Care Aide.

She is survived by her two sons William B. Varner of Brewton and Roland Lee King of Andalusia, Alabama; a brother, Larry Lee Varner of Brewton; one sister, Mary Louise Varner of Brewton; three grandchildren, Ashley Kate Varner, Kimberly Lee Varner and Erin Nicole Varner.

Visitation will be held Thurs., Sept. 24, 2015 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with Elder Wayne Ellis officiating. Interment will follow in L Pond Church of Christ Cemetery Castleberry, Alabama with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Brewton directing.

Condolences may be sent and obituaries can be read at williamsmemorialchapel.com.

 

I.J. Wilson

Brewton

I.J. Wilson passed away Monday evening Sept. 21, 2015 at his residence after a brief illness. He was 86 years old. Mr. Wilson was a native and life-long resident of Escambia County and was a retired truck driver. He was a member of the Calvary Mennonite Church.

He is survived by his four sons, Billy Ray Wilson of Eight Mile, AL, John David Wilson, Jason (Jennifer) Wilson and Ben Wilson, all of Brewton; four daughters, Deloris Wilson, Wanda Wilson, Deborah Wilson and Rachel Wilson, all of Brewton; two granddaughters, Angela (Eric) Hill of Tallasee and Birdie Wilson of Brewton.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Birdie Chance Wilson and daughter, Angelia Lucinda Wilson.

Funeral services will be held Thurs., Sept. 24, 2015 at 2 p.m. from the chapel of Craver’s Funeral Home with Pastors Woody Jackson and Mark Regehr officiating.

Interment will follow in Calvary Mennonite Church Cemetery with Craver’s Funeral Home of Brewton directing.
Visitation will be held Wednesday evening Sept. 23, 2015 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Craver’s Funeral Home Inc,.
Please share your memories and condolences with the family at www.craversfh.com.